Certain cosmetic articles comprise cosmetic units made of readily deformable solid or semi-solid material whose tips become worn in use. Typically, the tip or a portion of the tip loses its point. In addition, or instead, the tip may become irregularly shaped having areas where the material has accumulated while other areas have material removed.
A worn tip will fail to provide precise and consistent application. Rather, lines made by the tip will be wider than intended, accumulated areas will produce blotched area on the consumer, and removed areas will fail to leave a cosmetic on the consumer.
Knowledgeable consumers will shape the tip using a tissue or other means. The result may be only marginally more desirable than the worn tip as physically unstable tip portions are formed.
To improve on this, cosmetic manufacturers provide shapers in cosmetic articles. Known shapers are removably provided in an end of a holder opposite to the tip. Consumers must remove the shaper from tile distal end, reorient the holder, shape the tip, evaluate the result, and, if satisfactory, replace the shaper in the distal end of the holder.
In related cosmetic articles of pencils, a shaper is known to be placed on a cap. A holder includes a solid cosmetic unit. The holder is secured in a cavity of the cap at proximal end of the cavity until the consumer wishes to use the product.
The holder is then removed and if sharpening is desired, the cap is turned so that a second end, the distal end, is opposite the tip of the holder. The holder is then inserted into a second cavity and as is well known in the art a sharpening blade removes a portion of the pencil and the cosmetic unit to provide a sharp tip. However, to prevent injury from the sharp blade, a second cap typically covers the cap adding yet a further step to the process.
Each product lacks the inherent convenience of a shaper disposed in the cap to shape and/or define a portion of the tip of tile cosmetic unit.
As used herein, a cosmetic article refers to an article of manufacture used by a consumer that includes a cosmetic unit and a holder, for example, a lipstick that has a holder and lipstick unit. Cosmetic unit refers to an article of manufacture that includes a cosmetic agent that is applied to the body of the consumer.